A Tired Sword
by nachosforever
Summary: Jen looks for a cause in the world after dragons have begun their rampage across skyrim and with her own failures looming over her. She hopes to find it on her current journey and perhaps, just maybe, she will. An adventure about finding yourself and where you belong in the mad world that is skyrim. Its not always for the best of reasons we pull our act together. 1st fic please RR
1. Chapter 1

A shot a Skyrim fanfiction by this loser named nachosforever.

Please tell me what to do better. This note is short because then you might actually finish it.(I know how it goes)

I own nothing pertaining to Skyrim and its characters and truly question if I actually own anything.

* * *

Cold was cold, being born into it or being a nord did not make it warm, just less cold. However if one did not skimp on a good pair of boots for your feet with some layers of clothing and good food you could curb the overwhelming cold of Skyrim's Northern provinces.

The recently good weather a merely modest covering of snow helped soften the journey.

Stay away from the roads, filled with brigands having a field day with the civil war and you could travel in relative safety if you knew how to keep your head down. Even now the smell of blood floated on the air. Near ten years of training with the circle member Aela kept Jen well within the category of those who knew how to travel safely through the wilderness.

But to think on the companions would not do at such a time, past failures should not be dwelled on.

To these thoughts Jen trekked north towards the serpent stone. Holding dim hopes that this quest would not turn out like so many before. Her pace is slower than she could go without tiring for the sake of not running into some threat headfirst.

Jen stopped for a moment to throw back her hood off her helmet and pulled her blue scarf down to breathe the crisp air, her exhalation turning to frost.

So she turned her thoughts from herself and to her surroundings, thankful for the war paint under her eyes preventing snow blindness in the bright sun.

Jen pulled her short bow from its perch under her snow wolf fur cloak after maneuvering the shield on her back so it was out of the way and unclosing her quiver on her thigh to ready herself for the sake of something to do.

Peering through the gaps in the trees she could see the mountain ahead of her where she planned on climbing up halfway and surveying the area she could see before resting for the night in a place that should be safe from most dangers.

The mountain dwarfed most in the area and while most of that was from its proximity it did indeed have quite the presence that prevented her from seeing a great deal beyond it, especially through all the damned trees.

Now her hatred of trees might seem odd but Jen was confidant in her ability to hightail it away from anything she didn't feel like it was convenient to fight, IF she could see it coming.

Which the Talos damned trees prevented meaning that if something got the drop on her it would be a shorter than preferred window for decision making.

A quiet while later Jen had made her way to the bottom of the mountain and started up the slope, traveling almost along its rather shallow side.

She stopped for a tense moment when the smell of brimstone seemed to tweak her nose for a moment.

Now she was sure she would attract any dragons due to being a white spec on the white ground from the sky but she didn't have an army of Imperials near this time….

Or the captured Stormcloaks…

And their booming jarl…

The sounds of their screams as she lay on the chopping block…

The clash of frantic Stormcloaks and Imperials trying to escape the fiery storm…

The panicked townsfolk storming towards the gates…

That dragons ungodly screams echoing across the mountainside…

She was snapped from her recollection by two distinct sounds rolling across the mountain range.

The first a deep shriek of a woman in trouble;

The second the roar of a dragon.

A quiet violent shaking took her for a moment.

Her hands were not bound this time.

Down the mountain she took off running towards the sounds.

* * *

She kept her breath steady as she moved with all possible swiftness around the mountain since she saw no reason to show up for a rescue out of breath.

While she had a number of options her first objective was to get the dragon to target her which she could accomplish from her approaching position.

The Greybeards had a point in using the thu'um but she'd be a milk-drinker if she didn't use everything in her arsenal. So at the top of her lounges she screamed.

_"FUS!"_

Jen rocked backwards and the snow shook off the trees in front of her and she had little doubt she was heard after what came next.

"_FUS!_"

The great beast came around the mountain at a speed disturbing for something of its size and seemed to fly on wing aided by magic. A maw filled with unnaturally ordered teeth came forward first roaring in response to the challenge. Its eyes locked onto her in a frighteningly short time and she realized only now she might want the strap to the shield on her back on a single shoulder to bring it out if the dragon decided to get close and personal.

Fortunately for her it opted for fire first.

Ducking to the left in a roll with her bow first she came up and half readied an arrow. A quick glance showing the fire barely caught on a few branches alight but had forged a trench in the snow.

Already it was rounding and she pulled her bow taunt and took aim at its eye in hopes of driving it away and lacking a desire to try testing its armored hide. Unfortunately the monsters yellow orbs while easy to spot on its brownish-red body were not any easier to hit than a far off rider at full gallop and the arrow flew over its target by a small margin, not that it helped.

Again the dragon dived and she tossed her bow to the side behind a tree with all due haste and braced herself for a foolish decision. The great beast came in and readied to burn her to the planes of Oblivion as she gathered all her breath into her Thu'um.

_"FUS RO DAH"_

The wave of force rocketed forward and slammed into the dragon face first throwing it off balance and down to the earth, the magic keeping it aloft forgotten. At the same time Jen was tossed back with incredible force with her feet leaving the ground and her shoulder slamming into a tree before she began to sickeningly spin through the air, hitting the ground with her shield and sliding back through the snow before her already hurt arm slammed into another tree and brought her to a stop.

Down the dragon tumbled to the ground the impact jerking the injured Jen and alerting her to the fact her arm was quite likely dislocated and broken. She felt her vision turn red and breath grow heavy as she readied to charge forth once more, growling as she pulled herself upwards the pain in her arm all but forgotten.

Till that is she heard a commotion to her left and saw a person in what looked to be robes of the college draped with furs charging forth at full sprint with two green translucent war axes dancing with lightning in their grasp and a mask of bone covering their face. Their sprint slowed to a swift jog as they brought one of the axes in front of them and a blasted the dragon with a bolt of lightning that belonged in the sky burning it along its neck from its right eye as it just began recovering from its crash towards Nirn.

Reeling from the blast it brought forth a great stream of fire towards the stranger whose arms flew up as a shimmering shield formed to hold off the onslaught and lasting through it. The instant the fires stopped another bolt flew from the strangers axes, but it seems speed took precedence here and the bolt struck only its membrane.

Without ceremony the dragon took to the sky screaming what Jen was sure from her study were curses upon the mortals that had bested it and took off with its all too quick speed to flee the battle.

The stranger made their way back to her putting the axes handle first into two respective straps as they pulled the bone mask to the top of their head revealing a wizened old orc with blue war paint.

"My name is Mahruk the Arch-mage of the College of Winterhold, and I would request you allow me lead you to my student where I will see to the health of both of you. If you need I would carry you there."

A quick look of shock surely crossed her face before she took to responding to his question and holding her questions for later. She had not heard of many orcs practicing magic let alone of this one taking the head of the College of Winterhold. Whatever the circumstance he was due respect for his position and Jen already had a healthy appreciation for the battle prowess of orcs.

"No sir I think I will be fine holding myself up, tis' not my first blooding and worse has befallen me though I would ask for help resetting my arm"

"Then let us get your arm reset"

A short gasp of pain later accompanied by a sick snap and the orc asked of her.

"Now might I ask we make all haste towards my student, she fell down a short cliff and clipped her head before your scream and I made sure only that she would survive before heading to your aid."

"Surely you could have left me to fend for myself and insured her safety."

"Indeed I performed a quick healing spell and a barrier that would last long enough for its purpose, now let us make our way."

Gathering her intact bow from beneath the tree smashed by the dragon's crash and the arrows that remained intact after falling out of her quiver she fell into step beside him and risked the question.

"From where do you come, I have not heard any news of an orc leading the college"

"I suppose that would be because we tend to keep to ourselves, however to answer your question I was once a member of the imperial battle-mages, or rather what is left of them."

A tense moment passed before he guessed at her reason for silence.

"No I bear no ill will towards you for wishing to join the Stormcloaks those days are past me and we get a few heading up this way to prove themselves and sometimes they are wounded in their travels, which does bring a little income to the colleges healers."

"I thank you for your consideration, and am glad you could find bounty bringing others good will" she said tensely the pain in her arm coming back with the thrill of the battle dying off.

"I must say you will surely be a fine addition to their ranks and must wonder why you need to prove yourself"

"They see it as more of a test of loyalty for me since I have not always been the most helpful of individuals"

"Why do you go to them then, loyalty to skyrim?"

"No, a desire to help people."

"I doubt the civil war helps many and surely you could join some other organization more suited to such a desire, such as the companions." this time she tensed at the words not the pain and her breath audibly caught. He shot a quick glance at her and waited for some explanation.

"Well it helps the Stormcloaks, and I have run many of my options to the ground." She creaked out.

"HAHA" he boomed the matter lost "A sad thing but at least you have foun-" The howl of a wolf cut him off from the rest of his sentence

"Ma'am?"

Drawing her sword with her good right arm "go on I can hold my own here."

Down came the mask and out came the axes and the Arch-mage took off with a sprint.

* * *

A short time later she heard the crack of his lightning bolts and the whimpering of wolves fleeing into the wilderness.

Jen continued on ready to fight if they came her way till she came to a rocky creek with a small cliff a man and a half tall opposite where she was and the Arch-mage kneeling over the unconscious body of a altmer woman in college mages robes with a wrapped item the size of a long sword next to her who from the small pool on the ground had hit her head, his student from the looks of things. On either side of the two sat a wolf with a well roasted head just outside the boundaries of a runic circle and several prints leading away and around.

The orcs face formed a quick smile when he saw her.

"if you do not mind I do not think the Thalmor would like if this master smith died under my care, even if she does not get out much for travel, especially since she has yet to make her quarterly report to them, it is doubtful I am supposed to know that last part"

* * *

Hey hey if you guess the dragonborn right you get a cookie with milk, if you're a milkdrinker and guess wrong you get a cookie without milk.

First fic so be constructive and I will try to respond.

From the pleas of other writers I hear betas are nice, but if they are so important why aren't they called alphas- they seem to do a pretty important job.


	2. Chapter 2

So yall have no idea how much the admittedly meager visitors to this story got me to publish this - they are quite the terrible drug to a new writer it seems.

Everything important here was invented by Bethseda except for a few alterations i have made for the purposes of this story

* * *

Mahruk set to his task immediately one hand to the side and the other sending a healing wave washing over the still altmer's head and he seemed satisfied after only a few moments when the altmer's eyes fluttered but did not open.

Jens vein stained vision focused on the prone altmer her breath growing ragged with an animalistic rage while her sword shook.

She thought of charging across the stream to split the Thalmor scum's head once more but realized her intent would be far too blatant to the orc set on protecting the bitch. While she was quite adept in a fight she had already shown her hand and the orc was quite obviously her better in battle and didn't need to get close to kill her since she couldn't use her bow with her injured arm and with his readied hand she doubted she wished to test his reflexes.

"Perhaps if you keep up your gaze Talos shall sally forth himself to smite her," still he smiled but this time his eyes betrayed his wariness before he continued.

"I tell you this now so there shall not be a misunderstanding later and you slit her throat while she and I sleep, you heard she was a smith yes?"

Fighting to keep still for fear of the orc's response to any sudden action she quickly responded, eager to bring whatever conclusion there might be from this bizarre scenario she felt herself losing control of.

"Yes."

"Good then you are willing to listen, we already had a Thalmor spy at the college who was quite terrible at hiding his actions and in the aftermath of some, unfortunate circumstances we found he was no longer capable of diplomatically conveying the interests of the Thalmor to the college"

"You killed him" she barked quickly growing tired of his explanation while her blood singed at the idea of spilling blood.

"Not an innocent lamb are you? Yes and in short she was sent as something of a measure of goodwill, she is well known for her abilities and has had previous relations with the college, she is indeed an exquisite craftsman" his hands made a quick gesture toward their places at his waist.

"So she arms them? And with weapons of that craft? Tell me how that does not mean I should ensure her death to prevent her service to them" she took a stomp forward now her rage mounting and vision growing red.

"I won't just let their little servant walk away from me to make blades that shall murder innocents!"

At this the Altmer's eyes whipped open and she grunted out some guttural string that would better fit the tongues of the daedra than some golden skinned elf.

"Knock your head a little hard? Or do your kind always speak in tongues?" her volume raised to yelling now Jen could feel herself begin to hunch over as she took to almost growling at the elf, her arms pains long forgotten.

"I do not think she has been around daedra enough to learn their language, perhaps Cyrodilic?" Mahruk said trying to ease tensions.

In perfectly clear but oddly pronounced Cyrodilic the altmer quipped "it is not my fault she is a wolf humping savage" Mahruk sighed his amusement obviously run low and little hope for a calm resolution.

"And it is not mine you serve those bastards and arm them to kill good men and women merely defending their homelands! They who have brought this world to its knees! Go on, justify your allegiance with their own brand of twisted logic!" fully shouting at the top of her volume Jens voice took a raspy tone to it as it rebounded through the trees.

"as intellectually stimulating this discourse is perhaps you would enlighten her as to why she should not slit your throat" his face showing how in vain he thought the effort his words quick and tense while one of his axes sat in his hand, empty a moment before.

The altmer shifted up till she was sitting with her back perfectly straight up and was uncaring of the rage across the river "first that her head would soon follow by your axe, and second that I do not serve the Thalmor of my own accord" Jen's body sagged as her shock at the statement led her to ask.

"Then why not work against them" her blood cooling as she spoke but still ready to flare at a moment's notice.

As Mahruk stood to in turn help her stand the altmer continued.

"Not all in the service of the Thalmor are willing" her voice still haughty while she softly grunted as she stood with his aid.

"And several have a better reason to see their agents dead than you do as you yourself have said, so since all here have a vendetta against them could we put down our arms, as much as I love to admire that skyforged steel sword and its rugged chipped persona"

"Fine but you have a ways to go towards my trust," came Jen's response as Mahruk's amused smile returned.

"A suitable arrangement" the elf's eyes uncaring as they stared at Jen who was sure they had been the same through the whole discourse.

While pacified for the moment Jen still glared daggers at the altmer as she sheathed her blade. Mahruk shifted to make across the stream.

"Now that you two have agreed to play nice perhaps I should aid our new companion"

"For the best, she would probably bite me if I moved to heal her,-" "my diet is more refined than that," Jen interjected with a mock curtsey on the refined before the altmer continued,"-now I must ask what inspired your genius plan to tell her of my associates"

"The part where you didn't wake up and open your mouth, Salt" to this the elf acted as if inflicted some incomparable indignity.

"Why thank you for the use of my nickname, I don't think I could stand it if she addressed me in unfamiliar terms"

Across the stream now Mahruk moved towards Jen and made a habit of examining her arm. "Then perhaps you two should introduce yourselves, I indeed do hope for a name to address our companion with"

Embarrassed at her own forgetfulness Jen addressed Mahruk and said "I am Jen, good sir and I thank you for your aid."

"No last name? You've yet to find a mate yet pup? Then you shall only know me as Siltal"

"A name to the face? That will make it that much easier to kill you later" the elf might not like the Thalmor but apparently lacked a redeeming quality other than her fair skin and skills at forging.

Mahruk seemed to enjoy their bickering now that the threat of a fight had lessened and motioned for Jen to sit upon the bank of the river.

"Would you unfasten your cloak?"

A awkward motion with a single good arm as Mahruk seemed un-inclined to breach her personal space but she got it done soon enough as the Siltal seemed to pass her time staring into the stream as a fish swam by, quite mesmerized by the waters flow and the nord forgotten. Jen saw now that her fur sleeve had torn below the chainmail and above her bracer.

"Do you need me to remove my armor as well?"

"Not at all I simply hate to have to do anything under a cloak what with them being so billowy and such" came his soft reply as he began to pour a small bit of magic into her arm which eased the pain that had returned as her rage had subsided.

"It seems the bone is not so much broken as cracked, quite the tough one you must be, a thankful thing as it saves me from having to worry about having to do a great deal of effort to be sure it sets properly"

"I don't think I care for a lay about to fix my arm"

"Would you rather no one fixed it at all?" Siltal chimed in while her eyes never leaving the stream.

But Mahruk offered a confidant smile that set her fears to rest.

"Not so much lazy as un-inclined to do unneeded work thank you." He said with a quick nod before he truly began to a great deal of healing magic into her arm and the process felt more like a warm bath than her injuries being mended.

"It will be forming back into its normal shape and ready for you to break it again soon." Came the sagely comfort from the Arch-mage.

As Mahruk finished his task Siltal moved closer to the stream and without skipping a beat stepped right upon the surface of the water and kept walking across till she was next to the others. She waited next to them Mahruk stopped healing Jen.

"Should my arm not have been in great pain? You were healing my bones right?"

Mahruk again received no chance to answer before Siltal remarked "Worry not the pleasantness will pass in about an hour and _then_ the next five hours or so your arm will hurt like hell"

"Only five hours?" powerful mage healers were not common in Skyrim and Jen was used to a near month of pain after a similar injury with very much the same pain. The priests of the temples better at making it heal correctly and without infection than with greater haste.

"The pain just starts decreasing _very slowly_"

Mahruk offered her some solace from her lack of understanding "if you needed some actual information on the aftereffects your arm will hurt to the nine today a little less tomorrow and by the third day will probably just be sore."

Siltal straitened her back as if something had dawned on her "so may I actually know what fortune might have given us our wondrous guest?"

"She led the dragon away from us and gave me time to make sure you were safe along with bringing the damned thing to the ground. Both with the same skill I believe" Altmeri eyes seemed to glow at the idea.

"_How_?" Siltal said with a greedy smile reserved for those who have stumbled upon their weight in gold and it was only now the huskiness of the altmer's voice came to the fore to be truly noticed.

"She has the voice of Nirn, friend Salt"

The mad smile was still plastered upon her face as she turned to Jen who began to fear the woman was a worshipper of the Madgod.

"You have become interesting." A quick turn to Mahruk "Now then how about we repay her kindness by leading her back to the college – its right next to Winterhold so she can stock up on supplies and show us what she knows"

Mahruk could barely stop chuckling "A show of hospitality as repayment for her help, I weep that I can find no objection to this outrage"

"-And as repayment for the healing she need but show her _shouts_, let us move at once!"

Mahruk set about calming the elf that was moving with an efficient energy, movements exited but precise. "Yes Yes friend Salt, we shall head back and I will get a well-paid courier to deliver your package you left over across the stream, which we will have to cross once more to head back to the college so I hope you are able to perform your little trick again"

"Elementary!" as she quickly and efficiently walked across once more to grab the wrapped item.

"Have I any say?" a rather incredulous Jen inquired.

"Indeed though I think it to be the best course of action for you" Mahruk consoled.

"The pain of the truth, I liked her more as a foe"

"You fear what use she has of you"

"I dread to think of what madness she would have me do in her name"

* * *

So hey! Everything is good right? no killing each other is good right? well hopefully once this picks up ill be doing longer chapters but I kinda want feedback and sorry for the sort of slow chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey hey so yeah own nothing in this story belongs to me and i was granted this wondrous idea by the beautiful world Bethesda has created.

* * *

After the pain in her arm had passed the majority of the walk to the college was, in contrary to their start, rather dull. Though admittedly if Jen's companions could make a trek through Skyrim's cold exciting without involving the threat of death Jen would have properly impressed.

Instead Jen had to content herself with staring at the great expanse of Skyrim's mountains that extended out over the horizon, the snow that covered everything you saw and the trees which were really the only way you could make out the slope of the terrain other than slight shadows since they were the only thing that wasn't entirely white.

They kept a good pace and the elf did not seem unused to travelling at pace but had issues when they took one of Mahruk's detours, which Jen was sure were more for avoiding known bandit hideouts than time saving, where they had to leave the roads. The short bits of conversation between them in breaks enforced Jen's belief that the Siltal was caustic when not directly excited yet even tired from their journey was near forcing Jen to converse with her to learn more about the power of the voice.

In turn during these short talks explaining what it felt like to shout Jen managed to learn that that they had been going nearly the opposite direction of her towards Windhelm to bring a reward requisitioned by Jarl Ulfric to decorate an accomplished soldier who had led repeated successful attacks against the imperials. Jen looked at the wrapped blade with a sense of longing for the recognition that she was sure that soldier felt when he walked among the camps and tried to limit the amount of time she spent staring at the blade she had never seen.

A day out from Winterhold where they spent more time on the roads, which Jen reasoned was because the holds capitol was the only place bandits didn't go because they had free reign everywhere else, they had set down for short break when Siltal asked.

"Did you want to look at it? It wouldn't be a challenge to take the wrapping off" even with the arrogant tone she took it was the nicest voice Jen had heard from the elf on anything not related to Jen's talent with the voice, which Jen imagined was because of the Siltal's pride in her work.

"I thank you for the offer yet would not want the blade be exposed to the elements before need be"

On the elf's deadpan face a single eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"it is a sword not a bucket of milk, we will not be dragging the blade through the snow and tossing it in rivers, or at least I hope not since I imagine you would know how to handle a blade,"

Jen realized that shed have to tread carefully around any subject the elf liked as she was prone to seeing everything as an insult, well more so than normal to stop her from returning to the harpy she usually was.

"It was not of fear for its failing but that I declined but for the ceremony of the blade, I simply thought that its intended wielder should be the first after the Blacksmith to see the final product"

"Then I suppose I should avoid attempting to interpret the minds of savages" Siltal quipped before standing to continue their journey.

A soft sigh left Jen's lips before she followed after, Mahruk's perpetual chuckling at their bickering following behind her.

* * *

Winterhold was a pitiable sight.

The College loomed over the "city" like a castle over a town, the populace looked perpetually hungry though not starving, and the buildings that were not burned down had odd warped gashes in the wood that looked magical in origin, and anyone you saw was always hurrying to one building from another except for the four guards posted on the road leading in with the rest of the guards on duty huddling around the door of the inn.

The only sign of any non-fleeting outdoor activity was the topped wagon being loaded up by what looked to be three college members aided by seven guards.

Jen made a questioning gesture to Mahruk about the carriage.

"ah yes, the college does unfortunately have dealings with Ulfric Stormcloak, even if I would not wish it so he does allow his soldiers to order an enchanted blade from the college and the business keeps the town afloat with the money flowing in"

"His soldiers can afford enchanted blades?"

"Under a certain rank he'll pay half the cost for the wretches the rest tend to send a request to me, this blade Ulfic himself paid extra for and was the reason we left early so he wouldn't have to wait" Siltal butted in.

Mahruk responded with a simple "perhaps you should take that sword to be put on the delivery and ask the Jarl for two more guards to travel with the wagon"

"Three would be more suitable" she remarked as she walked off towards the wagon which had had eight more guards leading two horses a person walk up to it while they had been talking.

* * *

The college itself was also sparse with only half as many people dwelling there as it was made for and over the past day there she had been met with constant questions if she was to join and told repeatedly, how wondrous it was that more nords were looking to learn the clever art, mostly by the other nord's whose numbers she could count on a single hand. Of course word travelled just fast enough in the college that before the news from the first that she was not here to learn was able to spread the rest of them had already walked up to her as she strolled around the courtyard circling the statue and pond of frozen water.

Jen had been told by Mirabelle Ervine, her guide after the Arch-mage had led her over the skinny bridge and left to attend other duties, that of the three main buildings the two flanking the entrance were primarily living quarters with a few facilities near the top and that the third was the primary learning center with other rooms scattered through the rooms in the walls of the college.

She had yet to see an argonian but thought that they might rather use the hallways that went throughout the thick castle-like walls of the college connecting the scattered small buildings to the main three.

Remembering that a library was a place of quiet and not yet ready to retire to her temporary room just inside the building on the left of the entrance, the Hall of Attainment she believed Mirabelle had said, she moved to the library in hopes of finding quiet from the talkative mages.

The orc librarian simply shouted at her that if she harmed one of her books he'd rip her arms off in a threatening tone before asking if there was any way he could help her and set her up with a book on the life of Tiber Septim, pleasing her that the private institute of the college at least was free from the White-Gold Concordat.

On she read far longer than she thought she would or could with her limited education in the written word when for the first time in her life she could hear from something other than the preacher in Whitrun or the Greybeards short stories about the origins of Talos.

Ignoring the passage of time or the coming and going of people that was broadcast through the otherwise silent library Jen felt her head drooping as she read and took to propping the book up with one hand while resting her head on her other arm.

She had managed to finish the book before it slammed to the desk and sleep took her.

* * *

"You know we gave you sleeping quarters for a reason though still I must ask how you manage to sleep in that armor everywhere, though I suppose it might come naturally to a savage"

Eyes creaking open Jen saw Siltal sitting across the table from her and the book gone.

"It piqued my interest when we were on the road but wasn't that notable, however_, while reading a book_? You are that comfortable wearing it?"

Jen made an odd groan before recognition dawned and she shot strait up.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BOOK?"

A quick stamping of feet and the orc librarian was next to her.

"QUIET!" he shouted in Jen's face and in a much quieter but not at all softer tone he explained "I picked it up while you were asleep and put it back in its place and now that your awake _get out_"

The door closed in a conspicuously quiet manner behind them Siltal and Jen found themselves at the staircases outside the library.

"I feel as though I'm not allowed in there again" Jen said with a sigh.

"Nonsense you still are in possession of two good arms, and that he did not wake you up says a lot" Siltal remarked without actually putting any emotion into it.

"Urag has pretty much beaten students that have done the same, he takes his job seriously, I was hoping to see him and you go at it when I found you falling asleep in the library late in the night but settled for annoying you in the mourn" of course now she took on that ever so slightly happy tone.

Her mind still trying deal with the fact she had been asleep not half a minute ago Jen did not bother responding before walking off to sleep half the day away in her quarters.

* * *

It was halfway through the afternoon when she awoke in the softer clothes of the college she had put on before laying on the bed as being able to sleep in armor and wanting to were two different things. To avoid even more questions about joining the college she changed back into her armor, made by Eorlund so a single person could put it on themselves. A quick glance at the ripped sleeve told her she'd be spending some time today fixing it.

Taking off to find some food hall or another and find Mahruk after she had finished eating to get through with her demonstration of the voice.

At the upper end of the living building she was in was the food hall which was stocked with food far better than she thought it would be, though in hindsight food was probably the main thing the college spent the money from enchanted goods in the town.

Mahruk had joined her without getting anything for himself to eat which she supposed was due to the fact it was near three past noon. He did little talking and instead seemed to be thinking on some subject while she tore into her food.

Near the end of her meal he suddenly boomed to all those in the hall, which was around five others.

"Spread word that in three hours time we shall have a demonstration of a unique form of magic in the courtyard!"

"The roof would be a better place for the demonstration" she quietly managed after swallowing her bite. Some of the occupants seemed to be abandoning their meals to spread the word the announcement intriguing them.

"A-HEM! Be wise to the fact that the meeting place has been changed by the roof!" The Arch-mage bellowed. This time all those so eager to leave now stood in place waiting to see if there were any more changes.

"That is all!" He said at last and ending with a hearty chuckle and they scurried off.

"I suppose getting it out of the way is the best way to repay you for your kindness"

"Did we not go over this, the kindness was for your help and the demonstration is merely payment for us fixing your arm" The orc's perpetual smile beaming at her.

"It seems like the matter could be much simpler somehow, what do you think?"

"We are mages we do things spectacularly not efficiently" he stood with her as she made to put her tray in the receptacle.

The time in between the demonstration and the food court had been spent walking the roof with Mahruk talking small with him till eventually he took to inquiring as to how she had learned the power of the voice.

It was a long pause before she spoke "My mother and father fought and died in the Great War,"

"They had both been adamant worshippers of Talos and knew of the Greybeards and thought that their daughter should go to join the Greybeards and hail the gods in the voices that echo across the mountains" a soft sight before she continued

"so before they set off they went with four year old me to see the greybeards and convinced them to train me as one of them, then they left to die to the Thalmor I never did learn in what battle they died due to the Greybeards isolation and instead spent years learning the dragon tongue and must admit I am more fluent in it than Cyrodilic"

"I suppose then you are a learned savage I apologize that I do not know a tongue no-one speaks, as that prevents me from mocking you in it" came the deadpan voice from behind her.

Jen had been focused up on the sky and nearly jumped out of her skin at the elf behind her chiming in.

"I could simply move onto the demonstration" Jen growled as her mouth twitched.

"Nonsense! I am interested in your Power of the Voice and that includes its origin, so entertain me with your tale!" Siltal said with a pair of claps as if to hurry Jen up and that slightly cheery tone she took on a subject of her interest.

"Then shut it" Jen demanded in response before continuing what was left in her tale.

"I progressed well for one so young and was able to shout after six changes of the seasons, it was only the a breeze at the time but after learning what it felt like it took me another six years before I was well beyond that simple breeze and onto gales closer to the magnitude of the one I used to take down the dragon, learning the basics of a few other shouts in that time frame" she paused for a quick breath, "and after an incident that shall not be elaborated on I stagnated in my studies, with the next few years learning little other than refining my lesser shouts before I left the greybeards feeling unworthy of the power I had been given"

"Well I suppose I cannot say much being unable to shout myself" Siltals voice deadpan Jen was sure she was discouraged at the turn of events near the end of the tale.

"I as well lack such a talent" the Arch-mage interjected "and I think it is near time for your demonstration, Friend Jen, Perhaps we should make our way to the crowd across the wall there" he continued and gestured to the crowd that had gathered on the opposite side of the wall.

They made their way quietly over there with Siltal taking up a quicker step and pacing to and fro when she got to the crowd of near a hundred well ahead of the others.

The crowd, murmuring before, grew quiet and simply stared at the warrior who was to show them some new form of magic, neither Siltal nor Mahruk having told what her skill was to anyone.

Jen put her hands on the railing and took a deep breath before grabbing the railing tight to help brace herself.

She did not need to go all out she decided and merely used the first word of unrelenting force.

_"FUS!"_

The shout's sound rolling across the sea Jen heard the audible gasps from the crowd as she stared off at the sea she had never seen before today as it carried her voice for miles.

* * *

So I'll admit it the book scene is in because I love books, sue me. Most of this is set up for the story that i actually want to tell which does need a little introduction before it can get rolling.


	4. Chapter 4

Booo this will be the last chapter before winter break as freaking college exams. :(

Soooo I'm gonna admit I jumped into this knowing where I wanted to go but not how to get there so to any handful of you that might read this I apologise for it going a little slow. Thank you if you do read though as it means a lot to me.

* * *

Jen decided that her decision to take the detour off to the mages college hadn't been too bad of an idea because it had been on the way and a logical step. The journey to "explore" a Nordic ruin she couldn't pronounce had been a _slightly _less inspired idea once she took into account the mute khajiit named J'zargo who'd been speared with a draugr ice lance in his arm and fallen off the precarious entrance stairway to the final room of the dungeon which had been up till then clear of any sign of an awake undead menace.

The khajiit had fallen through a hole in the twin curved entrance stairways to land behind where the two meet meaning he was safe from the line of fire for now, but with a icicle in his arm he wasn't going to do any climbing up the just agonizingly tall enough distance and him being there meant they had to stay here and attempt to whittle down the half a dozen draugr mages and the damned lich thing that hit J'zargo to get him to safety.

Clearing the room was a theoretically easy task with three heavily armed mercenaries hired by the mages guild, the Archmage, and three other college members at her back. Unfortunately the line of frost atronaches in the middle seemed to disagree and two of their mercenary guards were lying dead from a mixture of accurate icicles and frozen fists the only one left a fittingly named armored argonian that went by Restless-Tail that seemed to enjoy Skyrim's Talos damned cold.

With Restless-Tail crouching low enough to avoid the ice lances by putting up his shield at the doorway leading to the balcony they stood on with Tolfdir and Siltal behind him blasting any atronach that made it up the stairs and Jen and Mahruk behind the two pillars at the top of the stairs and taking pot shots at their foes while keeping their heads down they had managed to take out three of the five atronaches with the other two flanking the bottom of the stairs and a pair of draugr with great blast of lightning from Mahruk that made the ruins quake. Siltal had summoned a pair of daedra to aid them but they had been pin cushioned in the charge with the mercenaries and vanished.

The draugr had gotten wise however and now they targeted primarily the Archmage whenever he chanced any part of his body around the pillar. The draugr's change in tactics meaning that their group's main option for taking out the draugr was effectively out of the action other than his few wild shots. The Draugr's ice lances were cracking the walls where they struck and fading quickly but only after leaving great holes and giving the area a good jolt from the force of the strike.

Jen spared the roof a quick glance and thought it seemed safe in the flimsy light of the torches placed around the room and turned her thoughts away from the idea of a cave in.

"We can take those draugr in close quarters if we can get there!" Jen shouted after shooting a hopeless arrow at the draugr with an ice lance dashing off the pillar near her head in return.

"A good proposition however it appears to me friend Jen that our companions are quite fine with the current layout of events; however I think I shall be able to manage making them focus me for a long enough time to get you in there." Mahruk responded quickly his deep voice carrying though the noise of the draugr barrage.

"Hit the atronaches so we have a clear path!"

"Very well friend Jen!"

"I will join you in your charge!" Restless-Tail added.

Seeing the plan that was unfolding Siltal suggested her own course of action "I suppose that leaves me to go get our little kitty, I'll summon some daedra to join your charge!"

"Would you mind staying up here with me to support them Tolfdir?" Mahruk said seeking approval of the plan from the final member.

"I am quite alright with that role I think!" was all the response Mahruk took before he called out "Ready?!" looking at Jen who had taken the conversation to ready her sword and shield.

Flipping around the pillar the Archmage shot two bolts of lightning at the two remaining frost atronaches searing great craters in the middle of their bodies as at the same time Jen flipped around the pillar and launched herself off the balcony at the closer left Atronach landing her feet in the crater in its body as she rode the summon down to the ground where it shattered killing her downward momentum and shaking the nirn below her and she took off at a sprint with her shield ready to come up if she saw any immediate threat.

However the draugr had volleyed at Mahruk leaving the two daedra and Restless-Tail to speed down the stairs to join the charge without worry as Siltal followed behind looping around to get J'zargo to move. Jen had lost track of them quickly though her senses which had focused on the five monsters ahead of her ash she let out a great howl charging through the rubble.

"AAAAAOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUU!"

A greater bolt of lightning struck one of the lesser draugr relieving it of its body as it sped through to slam into the ground as Jen saw the lich ready a great burst of magic. Dodging to the left behind a scrap of rubble she felt the ruins violently shake as the spell washed down the center of the room and heard the screams of Restless-Tail and the daedra as it hit them the chill wind sweeping past her. Leaping from behind the rubble to continue her charge she slammed her shield into one of the draugr then turned and hacked another through its chest before a horrifying downward lurch made her realize something, the ruins floor had not stopped shaking. Her mind had just enough time to realize how bad that was before the ground dropped.

At first it all went down at the same speed till it had fallen enough to show some great darkness on the edge when the right side of the "floor" stopped in a monumental thud and she noticed that some of the sides of the room were falling with them before her vision began to tilt to the left. With all the dignity of a lame horse she tried to slam her shield into a large crack to her right hoping not to fall off this wagon from Oblivion as it began a slow decent downward that was becoming faster at just the right pace to freak her out.

She saw above them in the scattered light from the few torches from the room that the bottom of the floor was breaking off as the Oblivion wagon rolled down the slope. One of the draugr fell off the front and the other two where preforming some mimicry of her actions and the lich seemed to float down the slope independent of the rest of them only encouraging her intense hatred for the thing that had caused this intense madness.

At least that was what all happened before their ride slope slammed into the floor with a great echo and sent her flying off to meet the ground and stirring up a massive cloud of dust.

The first thing she noticed post-crash was the fact her sword had gone off beyond her when she went flying and the second was the draugr pulling itself to its full height not five feet from her in the settling dust. She was desperate to have the comfort her sword again but could make little out in the dark with the lights from the oblivion wagon too high to reach well down here. Thankfully her shield was still with her and she charged the draugr before it could get its bearings slamming her shield into its neck the sick crack's faint echo clearing her head and she saw another draugr pushing itself up fifteen feet away and one of their axes along the way. Jen dashed to pick up the blade and brought it down upon the draugr's neck clenching her teeth as the axe did its work.

A deep breath helped her keep her calm as she looked around eyes locking upon a small light closer to what was left of the floor of the Nordic ruin and the forms of Restless-Tail, Siltal and J'zargo which she made her way towards. About to speak she looked up and simply reacted to the hissing lich hovering above her and her companions.

""**_FUS RO DAH!"_**

Jen could not appreciate the symphony of snapping bones from her position on the floor after she launched what remained of the lich high into the sky along with a chunk of the ruins and merely felt her body telling her she dun goofed.

The pain only getting worse the more time went on the rest of her fellows in danger moved quickly to be sure she was ok and had obvious relief when she began to sit up.

"THAT WAS AMAZING! YOU SAVED US! Now stay still and let me heal you!" Siltal commanded her joy about the voice and fear for its user overriding her need to pepper her words with insults.

Disoriented and dizzy from exertion she shook her head "sssssword…."

"no you need too-""Sword." Jen huffed in an uncompromising tone cutting off Siltal's protest.

Siltal looked at J'zargo who motioned to her mage light with his good left arm and she shut it off a moment later making one of his own and pointing at a direction in the darkness with a pointed gaze at Jen obviously sad at her stubbornness.

He made to get up and go get it but she forced herself to fight through the pain to stand up, their eyes on her for now and their bodies frozen. She waved her hand and nodded her head, shed go get her sword on her own.

Siltal threw a Mage light down the direction J'zargo had pointed leaving the gleaming metal for all to see.

Jen staggered toward the blade her eyes noticing the glowing mushrooms in the distance but seeing little else in the mage lights bright glow.

She found kneeling down ended up being easier than getting up since she fell the last half of the way hands landing on her sword pulling it up too her and wiping of what dust remained.

Holding the flat of the blade against her body she slowly stood, but worse than before and on the way back the staggering got worse as she whispered to quiet to even truly hear herself.

"_I'm sorry kodlak_"

For the second time that day Jen's view tilted to the left.

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I liked this chapter overall, it really just kind of fell into place writing it.


End file.
